Implemented Changes to the community

Time to let the community speak series 2!

Tri's Post
Who even reads that spoiler anyway.

Spoiler

Hi there, another wall of text incoming.

Before I start, I am gonna use this OP to remind on this thread: http://forums.f-o-g.eu/threads/3521-time-let-community-speak-series-1-a.html

(Bla bla, you don't have to read all that again.)

Warning, realtalk incoming.

on 16.07.2014 , I originally sent a PM to Downy, because I got a few ideas, these ideas are kinda similar /or are crossing with recently posted suggested stuff (Damiens thread, Krupps discussion a few days ago in the shoutbox)

The pressure will come, especially if people want to see more people here, activity and such.
Things will have to go faster, so I am gonna basically bump the shit out of you all.

So, here the PM, which was send to Downy (later followed to noname, RD, Downie and some other guys.)

I thought there was no need to do that public or something, I thought it will be handled sometime, but well, look how long I waited for an answer on that PM or for an answer on the "time to let the community speak series 1"-thread.

Spoiler

My intention isn't just to talk bad about all this now, rather I wanna read some opinions, other ideas, or even do better suggestions than mine.
Note at this point, remember, these ideas are already "old" ones.


Also, I would like if the forum moderation could keep an eye on this thread, I want to have a solid discussion with people who can be taken serious. And I don't want that this will be just closed and ignored as the PM /the other thread.

Thank you in advance.

Chickpoint's post

Spoiler

Hi all,
I will start this thread to prevent further shitstorms so we can have an actual conversation.
This evening we started a discussion on the steam group FoG - Admins, after a small shitstorm in the shoutbox. We are not here about what happened that evening but about what we actually want to change to the community since we all got different ideas.

Some things that passed the chat are:
-Giving Downy more powers (aka co-owner like)
-More forum moderators
-Make use of the report function on the forum
-A point based system of rating someones behaviour on the forum (unprobable because it needs a lot of work)
-Change the mindset of Admins (admins are a big example to the community, if they behave mature/properly the community will follow for the majority)

For this threads I am going to state a few clear rules and this thread is going to be monitored that it doesn't end up in a shitstorm.

What do I want to see here?
-Constructive arguments
-Suggestions about what we should do
-Constructive commentary about suggestions
-Normal english language

What I don't want to see here?
-Flames, rants, trolls about a person or group in general in any form (none at all, your post will be deleted)
-Memes
-Talk in hashtag (like i cri everytiem, i r8 8/8 m8 etc.)
-One line responses

I hope we can have a mature conversation in here and maybe we will find a solution.

Sincerely,

Chickpoint

Rough list of suggestions:
http://forums.f-o-g.eu/threads/4119-changes-community.html

-Making Downy Co-Admin
-Forum Moderation
-Behavior-Rating-System
*-Changing the Mindset of the admins*
-An Admin coach

This thread here, some ideas are crossing, I won't double mention the things.
-A bit more advertising regarding the forum
_________________________________________________________
-More Forum Sections, for example the section "Other", which contains

->"General Discussions"
Which could contain
>philosophy and debate ; School, Study 'n Work

->"Art and Entertainment"
Which could contain
>Art 'n Graphics ; Music/Movie/literature/TV ; Anime/Manga

-> Offtopic
__________________________________________________________

->For the Future Forum-Moderation, a warning-system. (like, if you're getting 3 warnings you get banned from the forum for 1 day...etc)

-enable the admin-app section only if you got a number of posts (like.. 10 ?)

http://forums.f-o-g.eu/threads/3089-supporters-helpers-wanted.html
-Events (yea, we are working on that, just gonna mention it anyway.)

*@Admins: Take reports more seriously *
*-Maybe different rules against admin-abusers*

-Less aggressive auto-balance

-some moral, give people the chance to reach the admins/higher tiers /future forum moderation

-Community Backroom

-Removal of the "We need more Admins"-Message on the servers

-Removal of the "Type !votescramble to start a voting for scrambling the teams"-Message (since votescramble isnt working anymore / not implemented anymore)




(* because it cross with the other point)

 

Three reasons why we don't have many active members on the forum.
1) Most players don't care about the forum. They just want to play.
2) Many of them aren't aware there is a forum.
3) The few who visit the forum see a divided place with a lot of "we and them"-attitude.

Many on this forum seems to be allergic to changes, and that's not a good thing if you want the forum to grow. Everything is constantly changing and so the forum has to do if you want to keep up. Another thing which has crossed my mind a couple of times is - why even have a moderator if he doesn't moderate the forum? Closing whole threads because a couple of posts weren't 'nice' enough. Just moderate the not so nice posts and let the discussions continue. Otherwise you're killing the forum. Don't put the blame on the members who's talking, blame the moderator who doesn't moderate correctly. If your excuse is low activity, maybe it's time to let someone else do the moderating?

And then we have the everlasting "you did wrong in the past so you are forever a rotten person"-attitude. Get rid of that and you'll see that people aren't that bad. I'm not the only example of that btw. No wonder why people are leaving. "One should treat others as one would like others to treat oneself" is a good recipe for success. If Curry Pyro and me could become friends after all our fights, I think it's possible for everyone. Let the past be the past.

FoG can be a really nice place, and it was, but something happened somewhere. Do you want it to continue to be divided, or is everyone ready to change it to the better? I know we can. We all have to start over, with basically everything. I'll do it if you do.

 

But, you smell. D:.
On topic: I totally agree with you krupp. We do need a smaller divide and to be more forgiving as a community.

 

[opinion]
Choisissons la réelle liberté.
I agree on all points.
[/opinion]

 

I'll just continue to lurk around and judge people quietly if that's ok with u lot

 

Well, i agree with you Tri.
For instance; We could talk to players that we're friends with on the server
but who never joined the forum.

I know i might sound hard, but why not give it a shot?
This is place is almost just a forum where members just apply.
We have to change that. Because, if we don't
this forum is just admin apps everywhere.

 

mind if i tag along?

 

Krupp's post is so good, sad that he just got "likes"
Why aren't people getting at least a bit inspiration?
I mean, Krupp aka #shotsfired aka #realtalk showing off some points, I see people reading that thread and liking a good post, but nobody wants to say something.
@Krupp
@All

If you would want some changes, which changes would've get priority?

btw. I dont mind if we make this thread like an "general discussion, suggestion/idea, improvement etc thread"

The title says, time to let the community speak.

Go ahead, shoot with your stuff, even post a link old suggestions/threads, stuff regarding people/forum/server/whatever, show me what kind of community we really are. DISCUSS, show that we have an active forum. I know, there are some people who indeedly care about this.

Maybe it helps to read my pm, get a bit inspired, it really can be (almost) everything, there are already a few ideas, I know there is more stuff which we could do.

You can even say some negative points about the suggestion, cmon, don't drop all that.

 

This is gonna sound hypocritical seeing as I haven't done anything for the community, but people around here are kinda lazy. You can find a lot of good ideas that even worked for a while but were never really seen all the way through.

Just for an example, here's an old thread that featured a great idea. Unfortunately, the idea never came to life and I think events and just basically communicating with the community a bit more can get some people all up in here.

The ideas have always been here, there was just never anyone to see them through.

 

@TriforceSmaSheR @n0name

Suggestion: Have a part time weekly events server where we do part time stuff such as..... Player v Admins, Tournaments (I don't want to make 101 examples), etc. Maybe also only have people join these events if they sign up on the forums etc. So advertise that there are events you can join/sign up for on the servers and somehow hide the Weekly Events section to members only or something? Idk, but this is my contribution to this thread.
EDIT: Also maybe have a manager of fun or something to that description? I really don't know who could do this, but it would stop this type of idea from dying.

Point

 

@TriforceSmaSheR

Spoiler

I can assure you it would be different if someone else pointed out what I did. Which proves my point pretty well.

@Wandolf

Spoiler

I completely agree with you on this, and I think it's weird how people are complaining about "dead forum" but do nothing to change it. Nobody else can do it for you, everyone has to work for it.

@Pointlessness

Spoiler

You do have a good point here, the problem I see is the fact this community already is divided, and this would probably only make it worse. It's already painfully much of the 'we and them' mentality. If this forum is going to stay alive - this mentality has to change.

And yes, many here are too lazy, but then again - it's gamers we're talking about.

Edit: also, this whole "hurr, naecropoztar!"-thingy is just plain stupid and annoying. It's not necessarily a bad thing to continue old discussions, and something that's only a few weeks old isn't really dead.

 

Maybe for a lot of us Krupp just said it all

 

Well it's nice to hear if that's really the case, but then again, if we want to change this forum to a active place for discussions - we have to discuss things. Which means everyone should try to actively voice their opinions when you get a opportunity for it.

It's actually better to say "I agree" than not say anything. But that's just my opinion.

 

I've said this before, and I'm saying it again: don't run a community, if you don't really have the time to run it properly.
Also, I agree with @Krupp on all points.

 

Since this is a thread for letting the community speak I have a few more things I'd like to say.

1) When admins are getting reported, don't just assume it's a false alarm directly (like I've see so many times). The reporting person deserves to be treated with respect, even if you disagree with him/her. So don't approach in a unfriendly and/or disrespectful way. If there's errors in the report, tell the person with a kind tone what's missing or is wrong, instead of puking all over them.

2) Since the servers rules are so strict for the players, the admins shouldn't get away with just a slap on the fingers when/if they are abusing their powers. Strip 'em off immediately and let them think over the whole thing for 1-2 weeks (if the report can prove abuse of course). I promise this will have good effect on most abusers. Three times and they're finished as admins. (3-strike rule you know)

3) If an admin get a lot of complaints, you should really have an eye on him/her and don't just let it slide through, regardless of the amount of reports on the forum. Because it's an indication that something ain't right. Good admins usually get respect from the players.

#4) Again, try to avoid unnecessary annoyance on the servers. Everyone is not okey with 'fun-spam'. Some of us have a hard time focusing on the game as it is already, the admins shouldn't make it even worse.

Edit: I know that @Downy added point #4 to the rules, but evidently he think he can stand above that rule, among with a couple of other admins. Just follow your damn rules, how hard could it be?
This is the same guy who's the moderator on the forum. I don't think I need to explain any further what I think about having a moderator who doesn't follow the rules he has setup himself.

Also, the auto-balance on the servers is too fucking aggressive. I have no problem with being transfered to the other team if I just died, but being that all of sudden while you're playing is really, really annoying and stupid.
(Sorry for foul language.)

 

Well, the following will prbly be a "not gonna happen"-thing (which is sad.)

Give certain people more powers(or more "freedom" if that looks better.) so that they can work on their own so not anything lasts on nonames shoulder.

(Hi Forum Moderation Thread.)

 

We all know that rule was implemented after that happened.

 

And after it was implemented, he did it again just a few days after. So your point is? I think you are fully aware what happened on Orange when it happened again.

 

At first I am here to give some credits for @TriforceSmaSheR and @Krupp.

But I think you still miss a few points up there. Until now the most of what I did read in this topic is about how bad things are on the forum/comunnity (managment) but nothing about ourselves.

We self aren't behaving that great either, ususally when a thread is made on the forum there always will be at least 1 troll like post. And on the other side we dont give people chances or listen to someone properly which make it pretty hard to make a good conversation.

A quick example, I am mostly refered as a nice guy, or even the nicest guy around here (I am not trying to brag here). The only thing I do is giving a people a chance to reach me to talk to me and behave properly to me. There is no need to already dislike someone over what others said. Because of this I actually can say I have met the most amazing people over here and I am almost counting on them like my best friends.

A clasic example of someone who is chewed out here is @DarkRegen if you would ask me. Usually refered here as a weird brony which is really annoying and spammy. But the times I spoke to him, he turned out to be way more interesting person than anyone would think.

Just my message of the day: Just try to behave a bit more mature and give people proper chances. Nobody likes to be trolled, ranted or left out. I just think we must look at ourselves first before we wanting to make changes to our community since we are the community. (tbh I don't think we behaved that nice lately to be nice)


P.S. Sorry if it is a bit messy, still sick and still can't think properly

 

Don't get me wrong now, Chick, but it was kinda what I said. We all have to change our behavior for this to work out - a.k.a "start all over". But you are right and I agree with you.